However, the biggest story was generated by non-league Sutton United who ousted former winners Leeds United with a deserved 1-0 win on Sunday. Sensationally, they'll be joined in the fifth round by fellow non-leaguers Lincoln City. Both sides are also through to the last 16 in the FA Trophy - if anyone knows when a team last managed to achieve that double please let me know.

Elsewhere over in west London, Southall also made it through to the quarter-finals of the FA Vase. This is quite an achievement for a 10th tier club and they're far from favourites to win. However, they'll pretty much be the home team if they do make the final with their ground at Hanwell Town only 2.5 miles from Wembley.

There are almost 100 matches in the London area over the next week with action in the Premier League, EFL, FA Trophy and several minor league and county cup competitions.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you traveljust in case a game has been called offor venue has been changed. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (white pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

In the following section I list, by day, what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 30 January

Premier League 2Fulham v Swansea City @7pm - once again there are several U23 games on Monday with this PL2 game at the Cottagers' training ground being the best on offer

Ryman League Premier DivisionKingstonian v Wingate & Finchley @745pm - the pick of the night's non-league games is this match between two midtable teams who can still mount a play-off charge
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Tuesday 31 JanuaryPremier LeagueArsenal v Watford @745pm - there's a full programme of midweek fixtures in the top flight this week with this derby the only game in the capital on Tuesday. The Gunners have won their last eight league games against the Hornets and are in much better form than their opponents so an away win looks highly unlikely

ChampionshipBrentford v Aston Villa @745pm - after some signs of encouragement, both sides have hit a bit of a rut of late and neither now look like play-off candidates. The ground should still be full though as Griffin Park is small and Villa are a big name with a significant following

Ryman League Premier DivisionMetropolitan Police v Enfield Town @745pm - both sides need points at opposite ends of the table so there's plenty to play for

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Wednesday 1 FebruaryPremier LeagueWest Ham United v Manchester City @745pm - the Hammers have already lost twice to City this season in league and cup and shipped eight goals in the process. However, the east London side have improved since their last meeting just over three weeks ago and should put up more of a fight

League OneMillwall v Walsall @745pm - the Lions collected another Premier League scalp in beating Watford in the FA Cup on Sunday and extended their unbeaten run to eight games in the process. Walsall are just behind them in the table and won the reverse fixture in October

Essex Senior LeagueWadham Lodge v Waltham Forest @745pm - it's derby time at Wadham Lodge on Wednesday as these two groundsharers do battle

-----------------------------------------------------------Saturday 4 February

Premier LeagueChelsea v Arsenal @1230pm - undoubtedley the game of the week, this huge London derby gets the weekend's action underway with a bang. The Blues are currently top, eight points ahead of the second placed Gunners so an away win is almost a must if the title race is stay alive. The good news for Arsenal is that they know how to beat this team having triumphed 3-0 at the Emirates back in SeptemberCrystal Palace v Sunderland @3pm - there's an almost equally important game at Selhurst Park where two of the bottom three meet for a crucial relegation six-pointer. New boss Sam Allardyce is really struggling to get the Eagles going - will this match against his last club prove to be the breakthrough moment?Tottenham Hotspur v Middlesbrough @3pm - both teams need the points at either ends of the table and Boro will start as massive underdogs. Spurs are doing really well in third, won at the Riverside earlier in the season and have lost only one of their last 10 against the Teesside clubWatford v Burnley @3pm - the other top-flight game of the day is relatively low key with both sides safely in midtable. However, Watford are in terrible form and badly need to arrest a run which has seen them go seven without a win in the league and saw them lose at League One Millwall in the FA Cup on Sunday

League OneCharlton Athletic v Fleetwood Town @3pm - the Addicks kept their play-off hopes alive with a fine 2-1 win at high flying Bolton on Saturday. The result still left them six points off the top six so they'll really need to win this match against a side who are part of that leading pack

League TwoBarnet v Mansfield Town @3pm - there's an intriguing clash at The Hive between two sides just outside the play-off places. A win for either could see them end the day in the all important top sevenLeyton Orient v Carlisle United @3pm - the O's are in serious trouble with their fourth consecutive loss dropping them into the relegation zone on Saturday. On paper, it would appear they'll struggle to get anything out of this one too as the Cumbrians are third and on course for automatic promotion

FA Trophy Third Round - the competition, for clubs in the fifth to eighth tiers, is down to its last 16 teams so it's getting serious. The winners of each tie win £7,000 prize money and move a step closer to a Wembley final in MaySutton United v Boreham Wood @3pm - after their FA Cup heroics against Leeds on Sunday, the U's now find themselves in the last 16 of two major competitions. On Saturday they face another London club who are currently six points above them in the National League but a home crowd and their current momentum should see them start as favouritesWelling United v Lincoln City @3pm - there can't have been many times, if ever, when a club has made it to the last 16 of the FA Cup and FA Trophy but this year two teams have done it. Joining Sutton in achieving this feat are Lincoln who beat Brighton on Saturday. Welling had a terrible start to the season but are on a great run at the moment but facing the National League leaders will be incredibly toughWealdstone v Brackley Town @3pm - the Stones made it to the semi-finals in 2012 and won it way back in 1985 so they've got a proud history in this competition. In Brackley they face a midtable team from the parallel National League North so they're very beatable

Ryman League Premier DivisionWingate & Finchley v Enfield Town @3pm - there's a derby at Summers Lane where two north London clubs who sit just outside the play-off places will be looking to join the leading packHarrow Borough v Bognor Regis Town @3pm - the Boro welcome league leaders Bognor for a game that's of significance to both sides at either end of the table

Ryman League Division 1 NorthThurrock v Tilbury @3pm - the hosts are in third but are nine points off top spot so a title shot seems unlikely. On Saturday they welcome local rivals Tilbury for this Essex derbyRyman League Division 1 SouthGreenwich Borough v Dorking Wanderers @3pm - after losing at title rivals Tooting on Saturday, Greenwich face another tough game against one of their main challengers for top spot

Spartan South Midlands League Division 1Southall v Harpenden Town @3pm - the hosts made it through to the FA Vase quarter-finals on Sunday and are firmly in contention for promotion in the league too. Harpenden are currently second so should provide a stern test

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Sunday 5 FebruaryChampionshipBrentford v Brighton & Hove Albion @3pm - the Bees have a big week and it ends with this game against the current leaders. Brighton is close to London so this is pretty much a derby and the ground will be packed

Southern Counties East League Premier DivisionErith & Belvdere v Ashford United @3pm - E&B are struggling a bit this season and it won't get any easier when the side at the top of the table pay them a visit

Southern Counties East League Division 1Eltham Palace v Rusthall @3pm - there's a similar scenario in the division below where Rusthall will look to extend their lead at top

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

Sunday, 22 January 2017

It's been another good week for London's top clubs with Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham now filling the top three spots in the Premier League.

West Ham continued their recovery with a comfortable win at Middlesbrough, while things for Watford and Crystal Palace still look decidedly dodgy.

QPR and Fulham fought out, what was by all accounts, a very entertaining 1-1 draw in the west London derby but things were a bit more underwhelming elsewhere in the EFL as none of our other local clubs produced a win between them.

It would be great to see other Premier League players adopting or sponsoring non-league clubs. For many, a week's wages could cover the annual costs of most sides.

Personally it's been a quiet week on the football front but it's been great to see you've all been getting out and about - particular thanks go to Simon Sallek who's posted pictures and details of the games he's been to over the last few days on our Facebook page. If you'd like to share what you've been up to, please do.

Lastly this week, we've got another piece from 'Two Men In Search Of The Beautiful Game'. Hot on the heels of their last article about Tooting & Mitcham United, their latest one is about the intriguingly named Bridon Ropes who play near Charlton in the Southern Counties East League.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are over 80 matches in the London area over the next week with action in the FA Cup, EFL, FA Trophy and several minor league and county cup competitions.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you traveljust in case a game has been called offor venue has been changed. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (white pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

In the following section I list, by day, what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 23 January

Premier League CupWest Ham United v Leicester City @7pm - the Hammers' U23 side take on their counterparts from Leicester at Dagenham & Redbridge's ground

Essex Senior LeagueTower Hamlets v Ilford @745pm - the non-league alternative is this East End derby at the Mile End Stadium
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Tuesday 24 JanuaryFA Trophy Second Round ReplaySutton United v Worthing @745pm - a truly massive week of cup football for the U's gets underway with this tie against Worthing who play two levels below them. It will be interesting to see if Sutton rest players ahead of their much publicised FA Cup tie against Leeds United on Sunday when the FA Trophy is the one they have a much more realistic chance of winning. If they win this, there's a derby at home to Boreham Wood to look forward to in the next round

Kent Senior Cup Quarter-FinalWelling United v Bromley @745pm - over on the south-east side of town we have a derby in the county cup. These two played in the FA Trophy last week with underdogs Welling pulling off a surprise victory. Sadly, this competition probably isn't regarded as a massive priority by either so full strength teams are unlikely

Ryman League Premier DivisionWingate & Finchley v Leiston @745pm - the hosts welcome Suffolk club Leiston who are currently fourth but will go top of the table if they can win their games in hand

Essex Senior LeagueWadham Lodge v Barking @745pm - after an impressive 2015/16, Wadham Lodge have struggled a bit this year and it's not going to get any easier on Tuesday when leaders Barking pay them a visit

Spartan South Midlands League Division 1Hillingdon Borough v Kensington Borough @745pm - the hosts hit the headlines last week when they were saved from financial disaster by Everton player Yannick Bolasie who used to play for them when he started out. This will be their first game since and it comes against a team who are well placed to push for promotion

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Wednesday 25 JanuaryRyman League Division 1 SouthCray Wanderers v Corinthian Casuals @745pm - the game of the day takes place at Bromley's ground where two clubs with hopes of making the play-offs do battle. TLFG fact - Cray claim to be the oldest club in London having been formed in 1860

-----------------------------------------------------------Friday 27 JanuaryPremier League 2West Ham United v Aston Villa @7pm - I love a bit of Friday night football to get the weekend started and we're lucky to have two games to choose from on the east side of town. The first is this U23 game at Dagenham & Redbridge's ground

Essex Senior LeagueRedbridge v Enfield 1893 @745pm - a bit closer to the centre of town we've got this midtable clash. Oakside is right next to Barkingside station on the Central Line making it one of the easiest grounds to get to in London

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Saturday 28 January

FA Cup Fourth RoundChelsea v Brentford @3pm - with the competition down to its last 32 teams, the draw has thrown up a few eye-catching ties with this west London derby most definitely one of them. Despite being located less than five miles apart, the clubs have only met twice since 1950 and that was for a fourth round tie which went to a replay four years ago. Currently rampant in the Premier League, the Blues will start as overwhelming favourites against their Championship opponentsCrystal Palace v Manchester City @3pm - one of the other ties of the round pits last season's beaten finalists against five-time winners City. Both are having a tough time in the league by their respective standards so the cup should bring some welcome relief. City should win but in this competition anything's possibleTottenham Hotspur v Wycombe Wanderers @3pm - there's a potentially even bigger mismatch at White Hart Lane where one of the Premier League's top clubs welcome the Chairboys from League Two. However, the Buckinghamshire club are no fools as evidenced by their current 15 game unbeaten run which has got them this far in the cup and up to fifth in the league

ChampionshipQueens Park Rangers v Burton Albion @3pm - having both been knocked out of the FA Cup already, these two agreed to bring this match forward Valentine's Day. QPR have improved significantly over the last few weeks, stringing together a four-match unbeaten run to move up into midtable. Burton, a former non-league club and one of the smallest in the division, have done superbly well to make it to the second tier but have found the last six weeks tough going and are down in the bottom three

National LeagueBromley v Southport @3pm - averaging crowds of 1219, the biggest turnout for a non-league match in London will almost certainly be at Hayes Lane for this one. The hosts are coasting along nicely in midtable at the moment while the Sandgrounders are looking for points to avoid the drop

National League SouthWealdstone v Dartford @3pm - the most notable match in the sixth tier takes place in Ruislip. Although the Stones have made great progress in the FA Trophy, they have lost significant ground on the play-off places in recent weeks and a tilt at promotion now looks unlikely. The Darts, on the other hand, have won eight of their last 10 to be right up there in third. A healthy crowd of 800-1,000 can probably be expected

Ryman League Premier DivisionHendon v Wingate & Finchley @3pm - after eight years without a ground of their own, Hendon finally have a home. Sadly it's not in the Borough of Barnet but it's just across the border in Brent at Silver Jubilee Park. This will be the first derby there against near neighbours WingateRyman League Division 1 SouthTooting & Mitcham United v Greenwich Borough @3pm - if eighth-tier football is your thing then this is undoubtedly the match of the week as the leaders welcome big spending, third-placed Greenwich to Imperial Fields for a massive game

Essex Senior LeagueClapton v Barking @3pm - there's a very similar match-up a level below but this time it's third hosting first. The Tons are the highest they've been in the league for years and briefly went top a couple of weeks ago before Barking made good use of their games in hand to reclaim the lead. The visitors are now four points clear and still have several games in hand on those below them so this a must win game for the hosts if they are to have any chance of winning the title. Sadly, at the time of writing, the Clapton Ultras are still boycotting games so the crowd for what is also a local derby is likely to much lower than it would otherwise be. UPDATE (27/01/17): the boycott is off, for now at least, so the Ultras will be back and the club have made it 'Pay What You Want' with a minimum donation of £1

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Sunday 29 JanuaryFA Cup Fourth RoundFulham v Hull City @1230pm - in the space of eight days, the Cottagers will play derbies against QPR and Reading and finish off with this cup tie against Premier League strugglers Hull - so quite a busy time. The hosts should fancy their chances despite only winning once against the Tigers in seven attempts since 2009Millwall v Watford @12pm - there's a derby at The Den where League One play-off contenders Millwall will look to cause another upset after knocking out Bournemouth in the last round. Despite starting the season well, the Hornets are now seven without a win in the Premier League and could be vulnerable if they're not on top of their gameSutton United v Leeds United @2pm - the most romantic tie of the round pits non-league Sutton against former league and FA Cup winners Leeds. The Whites' fortunes have fluctuated wildly over the last 25 years going from a league title and a place in the Champions League semi-finals to midtable mediocrity in League One. Now back amongst the promotion contenders in the Championship, they should have too much for the U's

FA Vase Fifth RoundSouthall v Exmouth Town @3pm - over in west London there's a prestigious match in another FA competition. Southall are the only club from the capital to make it to the last 16 and have a very winnable tie against opponents from Devon who play in the parallel South West Peninsula League. The hosts made the final in 1986 and are now getting within touching distance of another trip to Wembley

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

Sunday, 15 January 2017

It's been another busy week of football in London and our local clubs by and large have had a pretty good few days.

Chelsea comfortably beat reigning champions Leicester City to stay seven points clear at the top of the Premier League while big wins for Tottenham and Arsenal kept them in the top four.

West Ham eased past Crystal Palace to move nine points clear of the relegation zone, while the Eagles were left dangling precariously just above it.

Elsewhere, Watford ground out a drab 0-0 draw with Middlesbrough to collect what could be a crucial point come the end of the season. They also remembered legendary manager Graham Taylor who passed away this week at the age of 72.

In the Championship, Brentford pushed Newcastle close but were unable to stop them returning to the top of the table as the Toon enjoyed a 2-1 win. Elsewhere there were tidy victories for Fulham and QPR who meet each other this Saturday in the derby.

Five goals for £3 can't be bad

The game of the week in League One was the derby between Charlton and Millwall but as so often happens in these big matches there were no goals and everyone went home a little disappointed. AFC Wimbledon picked up a useful win over Oxford to keep their outside hopes of a play-off place alive while in League Two, Barnet and Leyton Orient both had a weekend to forget with defeats to Doncaster and Portsmouth respectively.

My week saw me take in an FA Youth Cup game for the first time in many years. It's very similar to the senior event but simply features clubs' U18 sides.

Probably the biggest story from this year's competition is the news that Hertfordshire non-league club FC Broxbourne Borough (whose senior side are currently bottom of the ninth tier Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division) have made it to the last 16 against sides from some of the biggest clubs in the country. They've drawn Aston Villa away in the next round.

Anyway, the tie I saw was the London derby between QPR and Tottenham at Loftus Road. Rangers' youth teams haven't been doing that well this season so I didn't expect much but for £3 and the match a few minutes walk away I thought what the hell.

After a game opening few minutes, the hosts were soon under the cosh and went 2-0 down to their classy opponents. Many more chances presented themselves to the visitors but they were squandered before, virtually out of nowhere, QPR pulled one back with a few seconds of the first half remaining to make things interesting.

With the hopes of the nearly 700 crowd raised, the players returned for the second half but within another few seconds the visitors were 3-1 up and the R's looked doomed. A fourth was added before the end and Tottenham cruised through to a fifth-round meeting with Norwich City.

All in all the FA Youth Cup provides a great way to watch up and coming talent at some of the biggest stadiums in the capital at a fraction of the cost (tickets are never more than £5) so I'd recommend it.

Lastly this week, I'm pleased to say we've got another ground review piece from our old friends at 'Two Men In Search Of The Beautiful Game'. This time they've visited Ryman League club Tooting & Mitcham United. The south Londoners are on a great run at the moment and moved to the top of the Division 1 South on Saturday. You can have a read of their work hereand/or watch the accompanying video below:

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are over 80 matches in the London area over the next week with action in the Premier League, EFL, FA Cup and several minor league and county cup competitions.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you traveljust in case a game has been called offor venue has been changed. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (white pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

In the following section I list, by day, what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 16 January

Professional Development LeagueMillwall v Queens Park Rangers @2pm - the U23 game of the day is this London derby which is being played at Bromley's ground in south-east London

Essex Senior LeagueBarkingside v Sporting Bengal United @745pm - the best thing about this game between two clubs from the east side of London is the special reduced admission price of £5. The 'Side are always trying things to get new people in so give them a go if Ilford/Seven Kings is easy for you to get to

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Tuesday 17 JanuaryFA Cup Third Round ReplaysCrystal Palace v Bolton Wanderers @8pm - for some strange reason tickets for this match are not going on general sale, you must be a member or season-ticket holder. If it's selling like hot cakes then fair enough but I'd be stunned if it is. Anyway, Palace are having a torrid time in the Premier League while Bolton are pushing for promotion from League One. Presumably Sam Allardyce's priority will be top-flight survival so he will probably rest a few players against the club where he initially made his name as a managerAFC Wimbledon v Sutton United @745pm - the night's other replay, on the other hand, is sold out as two south London rivals from the third and fifth tiers go toe-to-toe again. The first game ended in a 0-0 draw but with home advantage lost, Sutton should go out. The prize of a prestigious and lucrative home tie against Leeds United awaits the winners

National League SouthDartford v Weston-Super-Mare @745pm - with no league game on Saturday, the Darts dropped out of the play-off places but they can get straight back into them with a win against one of the division's strugglers

Middlesex Senior Cup Quarter-FinalsHarrow Borough v Wealdstone @745pm - three of the four quarter-finals are being played on Tuesday and all three are derbies. The Harrow derby is arguably the biggest although it has lost a bit of its edge over recent years, especially since the Stones moved up to the National League South. Boro will start as underdogs but how strong a side the visitors field is open to questionEnfield Town v Hendon @745pm - there's an all Ryman League Premier Division clash at the Queen Elizabeth II Stadium where two clubs from the north of town do battleAshford Town (Middlesex) v Hanworth Villa @745pm - the final derby of the night takes place at the Robert Parker Stadium and features clubs from the Heathrow area

London Senior Cup Second RoundWingate & Finchley v Cockfosters @745pm - there's another north London derby at Summers Lane. Ninth-tier Cockfosters are on a 10-game unbeaten run so it will be interesting to see how they fare against their seventh-tier hosts

Southern League Division 1 CentralNorthwood v Uxbridge @745pm - locked together in midtable on 32 points neither are having a great season but it's still a derby

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Wednesday 18 JanuaryPremier League International CupBenfica v PSV Eindhoven @7pm - the U23 teams of these two European giants meet at Fulham's Motspur Park training ground for this attractive looking game. Admission prices are unclear at the moment but it won't be more than £5 and could even be free

Southern Counties East League Premier DivisionBeckenham Town v Crowborough Athletic @745pm - the hosts are having a very disappointing season. The main reason for going to this is to run the rule over Crowborough who currently top the league and are through to the last 16 of the FA Vase making them one of the best ninth-tier sides in the country

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Saturday 21 January

Premier LeagueCrystal Palace v Everton @3pm - the Eagles are desperate for points right now but in Everton they face a side in good form who thrashed Man City 4-0 on Sunday. In recent years these games have been tight with five of the last 10 games ending in draws

ChampionshipQueens Park Rangers v Fulham @1230pm - one of the games of the weekend is this west London derby at Loftus Road. QPR have gone on a three game winning run while the Cottagers have only lost two in 10 so both are in a bit of form. Fulham have dominated this fixture during the 21st century with seven wins from the 10 games taking place since 2000 but they lost the last one in October. The good news is that tickets are on general sale so you can be there

League OneCharlton Athletic v Scunthorpe United @3pm - after drawing with local rivals Millwall on Saturday, the Addicks have another big game against the title challenging Iron

League TwoBarnet v Newport County @3pm - the Bees lost ground on the play-off places following defeat to leaders Doncaster on Saturday but in bottom club Newport they have a great opportunity to bounce backLeyton Orient v Morecambe @3pm - the O's could find themselves in the relegation zone if they slip up here and with seven defeats from 10 it's quite possible

National LeagueDagenham & Redbridge v Bromley @3pm - the game of the day in this division is this derby. The Daggers are London's top ranked non-league club and a win here against midtable Bromley could put them joint topNational League SouthWelling United v Dartford @3pm - after enjoying a fine derby win over Bromley in the FA Trophy on Saturday, the Wings next face even bigger rivals Dartford. Games between these two have drawn decent crowds in recent years and with the sides scrapping for points at either end of the table there's plenty to play for

Ryman League Premier DivisionEnfield Town v Grays Athletic @3pm - there are no real stand-out games in this division so I've gone for this as the hosts are offering reduced admission of £5

Ryman League Division 1 SouthGreenwich Borough v Hythe Town @3pm - the pick of the games in the eighth tier pits third against fourth at the DGS Marine Stadium

Combined Counties League Premier DivisionColliers Wood United v Raynes Park Vale @3pm - in a week full of derbies we have another one in south-west London. Often referred to in this blog as the 'A3 Derby' because of the major road linking the two clubs, neither side are having a great year

Combined Counties League Division OneChessington & Hook United v Worcester Park @3pm - the hosts have become a bit of a yo-yo club in recent years and are in promotion contention again. On Saturday they also have a derby against the former divisional champions

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Sunday 22 JanuaryPremier LeagueArsenal v Burnley @215pm - the Gunners are doing well at the moment and thrashed bottom club Swansea 4-0 on Saturday. Despite this, they are still only fourth and a whopping eight points behind leaders Chelsea. Consequently they can afford few slip ups if they want to make up the ground. On paper the Clarets should be there for the taking but they've surprised many following promotion and are sitting pretty comfortably in 10th some 10 points clear of the relegation zoneChelsea v Hull City @430pm - with that game out of the way, the focus moves to west London where the highly impressive league leaders will hope to extend their lead over the chasing pack to 10 points. In struggling Hull they face seemingly perfect opponents but under new boss Marco Silva they picked up their first win for a long time against Bournemouth on Saturday so there could be a bit more fight about them

Kent Senior Trophy Quarter-FinalCray Valley PM v Lordswood @3pm - the day's non-league alternative can be found in the south-east of town. CVPM are a friendly club and always love to get new visitors so go and say hello

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

Sunday, 8 January 2017

It's been an interesting week with several emails, tweets and messages from 'you lot' seeking advice about all things London football. Hopefully I've been able to assist but although I'll always do my best to help, I'm sadly not a source of Premier League match tickets.

It has been noticeable this season how much harder it has become to get into top flight games via official routes.

With Tottenhamclosing a significant chunk of their stadium and West Ham moving to a new ground and making it members only for league games - previously two of the most reliable clubs for getting tickets from are now often StubHub or cup matches only.

Crystal Palace, despite their struggles, still only sell to members while Arsenal and Chelsea are pretty much a closed shop unless you're prepared to spend big or go to a Checkatrade Trophy game.

Non-League Finals Day is a great way to spend an afternoon at Wembley

Watford were also asking you to have at least a previous booking history but there seems to be a glimmer of hope there with several games listed on their website as going to general sale. If you've recently managed to get a ticket to a game at Vicarage Road easily and through official channels then let me know.

Outside the Premier League you can pretty much take your pick with only the occasional derby or visit of Newcastle likely to prove hard to get.

Having been working lates this week I haven't been able to get to a game but I did buy some tickets for QPR v Wigan at the end of the month only to see it postponed after the Latics' win in the FA Cup on Saturday. The tickets were only £10 (a members' special offer) but I'll probably have to get them refunded as I'll probably be working when it's rescheduled.

In other news, the FA Trophy and FA Vase are both starting to get pretty serious with the competitions down to their last 32 and 16 respectively.

After Saturday's results, Southall are now the only London club left in the Vase. It would be quite something for the west London club, who don't play all that far from Wembley, to make the final. They have some pedigree in the tournament too, finishing as runners-up in 1986. Interestingly, the runners-up the previous year were Fleetwood Town who are now pushing for a place in the Championship!

Don't forget that the Vase and Trophy finals make up Non-League Finals Day at Wembley in May and tickets are now on sale. It's a great day out and with tickets at only £25 for adults and £1 for kids, great value too.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are over 80 matches in the London area over the next week with action in the Premier League, EFL, FA Trophy and several minor league and county cup competitions.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you traveljust in case a game has been called offor venue has been changed. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (white pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

In the following section I list, by day, what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 9 January

Premier League 2West Ham United v Norwich City @7pm - Monday is rapidly becoming development squad day with this match at Dagenham & Redbridge's ground the pick of the U23 action on offer

Professional Development LeagueCrystal Palace v Millwall @1pm - a rung below that we have this south-east London derby at Dulwich Hamlet's ground

Ryman League Division 1 SouthCarshalton Athletic v Dorking Wanderers @745pm - the best non-league match of the day takes place at Colston Avenue where sixth placed Carshalton host the current leaders

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Tuesday 10 JanuaryRyman League Cup Third RoundDulwich Hamlet v Faversham Town @745pm - the hosts will start as overwhelming favourites against a midtable side from the division below. However, Faversham shouldn't be written off as they made last year's final. It's also only £5 for adults to get in

Ryman League Division 1 NorthAFC Hornchurch v Bury Town @745pm - with four wins from their last five, the Urchins have surged into the top four meaning this match against fellow promotion contenders Bury takes on even greater significance

Essex Senior LeagueClapton v Haringey & Waltham @745pm - it seems almost unthinkable given where they've been over the last few years but the Tons could go top with a win against struggling Haringey and Waltham

FA Youth Cup Fourth RoundQueens Park Rangers v Tottenham Hotspur @7pm - even though it's not senior football, the biggest crowd of the night could be at Loftus Road where the U18 sides of these two London rivals meet. Tickets are only £3AFC Wimbledon v Hull City @7pm - in the other match at Kingsmeadow another healthy crowd is expected for this tie. Tickets are £5

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Wednesday 11 JanuaryRyman League Division 1 SouthWalton Casuals v Cray Wanderers @745pm - at eighth and ninth in the table, these two are nipping at the heels of the top five which both could move into with a win

Spartan South Midlands League Division 1Southall v Risborough Rangers @745pm - the hosts enjoyed a superb win to move into the last 16 of the FA Vase on Saturday and they could fire themselves firmly into promotion contention with a win against one of the division's top sides

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Thursday 12 JanuarySouthern Combination CupBedfont & Feltham v Staines Town @745pm - the only match of the night takes place next to Heathrow where these two local sides meet. On paper Staines, who play three levels above B&F, should win but they probably won't play a full-strength team

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Saturday 14 January

Premier LeagueTottenham Hotspur v West Bromwich Albion @1230pm - Spurs are one of the form teams of the division at the moment but the Baggies have also impressed this year and should ensure the north Londoners don't have it all their own wayWest Ham United v Crystal Palace @3pm - arguably the biggest match of the day is this derby between one of Sam Allardyce's old clubs and his current one. Palace are in more immediate need of the points but the Hammers are by no means out of the woods just yetWatford v Middlesbrough @3pm - the Hornets have suddenly gone five games without a win and the heady heights of the top eight which they once occupied now look a long way off. Boro have been down among the scrappers all season and are in marginally better form

ChampionshipFulham v Barnsley @3pm - the Cottagers are the best London has to offer in the second tier and keep getting frustratingly close to the top positions only to draw or lose the odd crucial game and stay among the chasing pack. The Tykes, who have struggled when they've played at this level in recent years, are actually above them in eighth so should provide stiff opposition

League OneCharlton Athletic v Millwall @3pm - although only a third tier game, this south-east London derby should generate quite an atmosphere. The last match between them took place just before Christmas and the Lions won 3-1. Sadly, for security reasons, you'll need to be a member to buy tickets or know someone who isAFC Wimbledon v Oxford United @3pm - if you really crave League One football but can't get into the match above then there are still some tickets on general sale for this one. All four of the teams are neck and neck in the table just off the play-off places

League TwoBarnet v Doncaster Rovers @3pm - the Bees enjoyed a fine derby victory over Leyton Orient on Saturday to move into the play-off places. Next up they have to play the leaders

FA Trophy Second Round - this national competition for sides in the fifth to eighth tiers of English football is now down to its last 32 teams. The winners of each tie get a cheque for £6,000 and move a step closer to Non-League Finals Day at Wembley in MayBromley v Welling United @3pm - the tie of the round from a London perspective is this derby at Hayes Lane. Sadly the two sides aren't in the same division any more but after a shocking start, Welling have won four of their last five league games in the National League South so will hopefully enter the fray against their higher-ranked rivals with a bit of confidenceDartford v Chelmsford City @3pm - over at Princes Park there's another very interesting tie between two of the National League South's top five. City are amongst the highest scorers in the division while the Darts seem to specialise in defenceBoreham Wood v Alfreton Town @3pm - after Dagenham & Redbridge, the Wood are the highest ranked non-league club in the capital. This is quite an achievement given their relatively modest supporter base. Alfreton, from Derbyshire, were a National League side too but suffered relegation a couple of seasons ago and will start as underdogs

Ryman League Premier DivisionHarrow Borough v Canvey Island @3pm - with it being FA Trophy week, a lot of RLPD games have been postponed meaning this is probably the best of what's left. Both sides are fighting the drop and although Canvey have been pretty poor this season, they did manage to beat high-flying Dulwich on Saturday

Ryman League Division 1 NorthPhoenix Sports v Thurrock @3pm - the hosts made the early running this season but a bad run in October and November saw them drop away. However, with five wins from eight they are now back in the top eight and looking in better shape for the visit of title challengers Thurrock

Spartan South Midlands League Premier DivisionSun Sports v London Colney @3pm - despite a sound drubbing by Bromsgrove in the FA Vase, Sun Sports should still hold their heads high after a fine run in the FA Vase. Things aren't going to get any easier on Saturday when the leaders pay a visit

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GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

Monday, 2 January 2017

How was the festive period for you? Did you get to gorge on games? It was easily possible to see four,five or even more games over the last couple of weeks - did you manage it? What were your highlights?

Personally, I made it to the north-west London derby between Hendon and Harrow Borough at the Greens' new Silver Jubilee Park ground on Boxing Day.

Although still lacking a club shop and tea bar, the ground is compact, well kept and has a 3G surface which guaranteed the game would go ahead.

Last year's reciprocal fixture at Earlsmead saw the sides fight out a thrilling 5-5 draw and when this game saw its first goal after only a few seconds a repeat looked very possible.

It looked a near certainty when half-time was reached with another six goals on the scoreboard and the hosts with a 4-3 lead.

Boro came out undeterred and dominated the second period, scoring only another two to win 5-4.

Not only was the scoreline remarkable but it also saw Harrow record their first Boxing Day victory since 1989, while I'm told Hendon are still to win a league game at their new home during a season of struggle.

Elsewhere in London football news, Chelsea have continued to dominate proceedings in the Premier League while Olivier Giroud made all the headlines for Arsenal against Crystal Palace with what I can only describe as his fluke/wonder goal which has probably been seen millions of times since it went in on Sunday afternoon.

Apart from the two important midweek Premier League games at Crystal Palace and Tottenham, the rest of the week should be dominated by the third round of the FA Cup.

All the Premier League and Championship sides enter the draw at this stage so things start to get serious.

There are one or two cracking ties and several more average ones but tickets are still available for most of them, with prices generally far lower than normal so give it a try.

I'd also like to give an extra mention to non-league side Sun Sports who have made it to the last 32 of the FA Vase for the first time. On Saturday they host Bromsgrove Sporting who are one of the largest clubs left in the competition. It's arguably the biggest match in the Watford club's history so think about giving this some of your time if you're undecided about where to go.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are 70 matches in the London area over the next week with action in the FA Cup, EFL, National League, FA Vase and several minor league and county cup competitions.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you traveljust in case a game has been called offor venue has been changed. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (white pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

In the following section I list, by day, what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Tuesday 3 January

Premier LeagueCrystal Palace v Swansea City @745pm - a huge game in the battle to avoid relegation. The last meeting, a little over a month ago, produced a thrilling 5-4 win for the Swans

Essex Senior LeagueClapton v Basildon United @745pm - the Tons are having their best season for several years and have climbed to the heady heights of third. Sadly the Ultras are still in dispute with the club over an increase in admission prices and are boycotting games which means attendances have fallen from around 350 to no more than 50.

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Wednesday 4 JanuaryPremier LeagueTottenham Hotspur v Chelsea @745pm - one of the biggest London derbies going as north plays west. It also features two sides in great form, however, it should be noted that Tottenham have only won one of their last 15 games against the Blues

Gordon Brasted Memorial TrophyWadham Lodge v Sawbridgeworth Town @745pm - the only non-league alternative is this cup match a short distance to the east

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Friday 6 JanuaryFA Cup Third RoundWest Ham United v Manchester City @755pm - the third round, when all the Premier League and Championship teams enter the draw, gets underway with this great looking tie. At the time of writing, tickets still seem to be available on general sale

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Saturday 7 January

FA Cup Third RoundWatford v Burton Albion @3pm - the FA Cup provides groundhoppers and visitors a great chance to get hold of tickets often at discounted prices. This game is no exception with adult tickets priced at just £10Millwall v Bournemouth @3pm - there's another chance to see a top-flight team at The Den where tickets are £25Queens Park Rangers v Blackburn Rovers @3pm - back-to-back league wins over Wolves and Ipswich have suddenly raised spirits at Loftus Road and struggling Rovers should be beatable too. Tickets £15Brentford v Eastleigh @3pm - the Bees welcome one of the few non-league teams remaining in the competition so will start as overwhelming favourites. Tickets from £10Sutton United v AFC Wimbledon @3pm - despite featuring sides from the fifth and third tiers, this is arguably the game of the day in the capital as two old rivals meet in the FA Cup. The match is generating huge interest in south London. The last few tickets go on general sale at 10am on 3 January

League TwoLeyton Orient v Barnet @3pm - it's derby day at the Matchroom Stadium where two teams in need of points at either end of the table do battle

National LeagueBromley v Forest Green Rovers @3pm - the Ravens welcome title contenders FGR to Hayes Lane on Saturday but the former leaders' form has dropped off drastically of late and they are now winless in six

National League SouthDartford v East Thurrock United @3pm - these clubs look at each other, metaphorically, across the Thames with only a short journey over the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge separating them. ETU are new to the division and are holding their own remarkably well considering their relatively small supporter baseWealdstone v Ebbsfleet United @3pm - a bigger crowd is expected at Grosvenor Vale where the Stones welcome the best supported side in the division

Ryman League Premier DivisionEnfield Town v AFC Sudbury @3pm - if you haven't been to check out the Towners so far this season, now could be a good time. With only one defeat in 12, they've hauled themselves firmly into play-off contention once again

Ryman League Division 1 SouthCorinthian Casuals v Lewes @3pm - the hosts suffered disappointment on Monday against Tooting but stayed in the play-off places. On Saturday they welcome the Rooks who are far too big a club to be playing at this level. Only four points separate the sides so it should be close

FA Vase Fourth RoundSun Sports v Bromsgrove Sporting @3pm - things are getting serious in this competition where we're now down to our last 32 teams. This match is quite possibly the biggest in Sun Sports' history. Not only is it quite an achievement to have made it this far but in Sporting they face the reincarnation of Bromsgrove Rovers who were one of the best sides in non-league football in the '90s and competed in the Southern League until poor finances finished them off in 2010. Consequently, according to Wikipedia, Sporting are now the best supported side in Step 6 so should bring a sizeable following

Combined Counties League Premier DivisionHanworth Villa v Westfield @3pm - with leaders Hartley Wintney romping to the title, it's all about the battle to be runners-up with these two currently second and third

Spartan South Midlands League Premier DivisionWembley v Hertford Town @3pm - despite numerous games in hand, a tilt at the title is probably beyond sixth-placed Wembley but they could very conceivably finish second especially if they can beat the team who currently occupy that spot

Southern Counties East League Division 1Kent Football United v Rusthall @2pm - third plays first in this important early kick-off in the SCEFL
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Sunday 8 JanuaryFA Cup Third RoundTottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa @4pm - until this season, this would've been one of the standout ties of the round but Villa got relegated in May and have found the waters of the Championship a little choppy. Nonetheless, this is still a sell out so there should be a good atmosphereChelsea v Peterborough United @3pm - on paper the Premier League leaders should beat their League One opponents with ease but they've come unstuck in similar fixtures before with Bradford notching a famous victory at Stamford Bridge in 2015. This match is officially sold out too

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GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

About Me

I'm a QPR fan and follower of Harrow Borough in the Isthmian League.
In 2010 I set up Non-League Day to help promote semi-professional and grassroots football. I'm hoping that TLFG will help provide a similar boost for football clubs around the capital.
I also worked at BBC Sport for 10 years before it relocated to Salford but decided not to go, such was my love of London.